GENADENDAL

Just 6 km outside the well known little town Greyton lies another small little town Genadendal ( valley of grace). Genadendal is the first and oldest mission station in South Africa, founded by Georg Schmidt in 1738 when he came to settle in the Baviaanskloof of the Riviersonderend Mountains. Georg dedicated 7 years of his live working en teaching the people of Genadendal, after which he was send back to his home country.

Only in 1792 was the Moravians granted permission to return and continue with Georg Schmidt’s work.

Genadendal is also home to South Africa’s first teachers training college, the college showed great potential back in the day and if note close down in 1926, Genadendal might have turned into a small Stellenbosch. The College was closed down on argument that the local coloured people could be of better use employed on surrounding farms and thus needed no education.

Genadendal has not change much over the years it’s almost as if the town was frozen in time, its streets are line with little white washed houses, and beautiful big trees.

Genadendal has looked after it self over the years preserving its history for us to see, buildings like the Old Watermill, The Moravian Church and the Mission Press is what gives character to this little historic town.

Genadendal dit not only play a big role in the History of the Overberg but in the History of South Africa, No wonder Nelson Mandela named his Cape Town residence after it.